Press Release | Nairobi, Kenya | 28 July 2026
The State Department for Cooperatives (SDC) in Kenya has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AgriGRADE to support the systematically professionalization of Kenya’s agricultural cooperative sector. This strategic partnership supports the government’s wider cooperative reform agenda and its ambition to build strong, commercially viable and member-driven cooperatives that contribute to inclusive economic growth.
The partnership complements the Ministry’s digital transformation agenda, including the Cooperative Management Information System (CMIS), by improving the availability and use of data on cooperative performance, organizational capacity and development needs. This will support better planning, targeted interventions, and evidence-based decision making.
Unlocking Local Cooperative Potential
While agricultural cooperatives are central to Kenya’s rural economy, the sector has long faced fragmented support and varying levels of organizational and business capacity. The collaboration introduces a shared, data-driven framework to align public, private and donor interventions, reduce fragmentation and create a more coherent pathway from cooperative assessment and capacity strengthening to markets and finance.
By standardizing support systems, the Ministry seeks to help address regional disparities and expand cooperative development beyond traditional strongholds in the Mt. Kenya region into Western Kenya and Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL). It will also explore opportunities in priority agricultural and rural value chains, with particular attention to women and young people.
“By professionalizing governance and digitalizing services, we are creating stronger conditions for Kenyan farmers—especially our youth and women—to access markets, appropriate financing and more sustainable livelihoods,” said Mr Patrick Kiburi Kelemi, Principal Secretary of the State Department for Cooperatives.
Professionalizing with Shared Standards and Data
AgriGRADE connects public and private expertise to align agricultural interventions around a single framework, targeting public, donor, and private resources more effectively across value chains.
“AgriGRADE provides a shared, scalable approach that connects cooperative development with market access and impact finance. In partnership with the SDC, we can make agricultural support more coordinated and effective,” said Mr Stijn van Geel, Regional Manager East Africa at Agriterra, who signed the agreement on behalf of AgriGRADE.
“AgriGRADE’s ongoing initiative in Meru has demonstrated how bringing together data, capacity building, and finance can yield tangible progress for farmers. We are ready to apply them nationwide.”
~ Mr Cees van Rij, Director of AgriGRADE
Mr Cees van Rij, Director of AgriGRADE, underlines that the collaboration is not just another project. “AgriGRADE is a shared framework designed to scale what already works. Our ongoing initiative in Meru has already demonstrated how bringing together data, capacity building, and finance can yield tangible progress for farmers. We are ready to take those proven local results and apply them nationwide.”
Looking Ahead: Coordinated Action
This MoU serves as the foundational step towards building a more coordinated and scalable cooperative support system. Moving forward, a joint technical working group will identify county-level priorities, engage stakeholders and develop an initial program of work. This may include rolling out standardized digital assessment tools to measure impact and support the long-term growth of commercially viable, member-driven cooperatives across Kenya.
About Kenya’s State Department for Cooperatives (SDC)
The State Department for Cooperatives is housed under Kenya’s Ministry of Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development. The Department is mandated to promote, develop, and regulate a robust, competitive, and member-driven cooperative movement across Kenya. Through modern legal frameworks, structural reforms, and digital transformation, the Department seeks to enhance governance, accountability, and market access for cooperatives to drive inclusive rural economic growth.